The characteristics of life are well known to bioscientists. The topic of the origin of life is often posed in connection with the wonder of life’s characteristics. How did these wonders originate? The question is answered in one of two ways: (1) life evolved, or (2) life was divinely created.
Following are the frequently publicized characteristics of living things. (1) Organized into cells (2) Capable of metabolism (3) Responsive to stimuli (4) Possess homeostasis (5) Able to grow and develop (6) Able to reproduce, and (7) Able to adapt. This list highlights a set of characteristics impossible to explain except as a result of the creative action of God described in the Book of Genesis, chapters 1-2.
Some science journalists include ability to evolve in their lists of characteristics of life. The authors of these lists should not include the controversial theory of evolution as a characteristic of living things.
The theory of organic evolution of Earth’s millions of different species is relentlessly promoted in the literature of science. A majority of professional scientists endorse the theory of naturalistic evolution of life. They have developed a complex theory, especially since the publication of Charles Darwin’s epic The Evolution of Species in 1859. Darwin acknowledged that life’s origin presented a knotty problem for bioscientists of his day. He conceded that life probably originated by unknown natural causes. Scientific literature is replete with expressions of uncertainty or ignorance concerning the origin of life. Conservative theologians rely on the first few chapters of Holy Scripture to develop their concept of theo-history, an account proposing that the biblical Creator is the Author of life on this planet—an example of a transcendent miracle.
Genesis 1 gives a brief theo-history of the origin of life. The Earth was a formless void, “and darkness was over the face of the deep.” In just a few words, we are given minimal detail about the initial creation event which may have occurred suddenly. This was followed by a formless mass, later to become a water world swathed in darkness. Then God said “Let there be light,” and there was light (verse 3). Verses 6-8 may refer to the beginnings of a stable water cycle.
Modern scientists know that life soon appeared in the water world in the form of bacteria. One form of bacteria was cyanobacteria. We have discovered fossilized cyanobacteria in Australia. This form of bacteria needed light for its existence and its ability to produce oxygen. Note the reference to the fossil cyanobacteria discovery by paleobiologist J. William Schopf in this link:
https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2008/05/earths-sudden-life-enigma.html
A more recent post speaks of the role of water in our primordial Earth’s “Water World”:
https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2012/02/earth-water-world.html
The initial eight verses of the Bible briefly outlines millions of years of events on Planet Earth. During this interval plentiful cyanobacteria appeared in the water of our oceans. Cyanobacteria use light energy plus water to synthesize their own food. This process is known as oxygenetic photosynthesis. The oxygen first eliminated the poisonous methane atmosphere and ultimately supplied an atmosphere of life-giving oxygen in preparation for life forms which later populated the Earth. This is known as the “Great Oxygenation Event” which prepared Planet Earth for a profusion of advanced life known as the Cambrian Explosion beginning about 530 million years ago. Many phyla appeared on Earth with relative suddenness. Most of these phyla still exist today.
Today’s life on Earth would be impossible without the element oxygen—21% of Earth’s atmosphere. Even though most advanced life originated at the onset of the Cambrian explosion, we might say that life originated with ancient bacteria. How did ancient bacterial life begin? We propose bacterial life began in a transcendent, divine miracle.
The Apostle Peter quoted Genesis 1 in II Peter 3: “For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished…but do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is one day” (II Peter 3 ESV). These verses in II Peter refer to the ancient water world from which sprang life-giving atmospheric oxygen which later resulted in the Cambrian Explosion of animal and plant life we still enjoy in our day. These verses also refer to our timeless Creator. His creative activity has extended back many eons in the past.
We believe that Genesis 1:2 provides an occasion for worship: “…the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” This historic event is affirmed by inspired scripture as well as by scientific discoveries concerning the history of cyanobacteria. Holy Scripture and paleo history both speak about the origin of life!